User blog:Pseudobread/GDC 2015: 65 Tips from D4's SWERY
Hidetaka “SWERY” Suehiro is nothing if not unique. Responsible for two of the most bizarre, and cultishly beloved, games in recent memory (Deadly Premonition and D4), SWERY shared 65 inspirational tips for people working on games and offered some insight into his process. Check em out below! 1. Voice your actions : - Look at actions subjectively 2. Take detailed notes on other people : - Write explicitly - As conditions change so do senses 3. Act cool and drink tequila : - Play the part you'll never know unless you really try to be it 4. Make others drink coffee : - Watch how other people act - there are a lot of ways to drink 5. Turn things into symbols : - We tried this first with Kinect (too tiring) - Symbolization is important 6. Leave some time to enjoy the drama : - During synchro stunts QTEs all attention goes to the HUD, don't let the HUD get in the way 7. Don't let go of your notebook : - Take notes Right Now! Saying I'll write it down later stales the idea 8. Don't blindly accept the results you get from searching 9. Lollipops are friends : -Keep candy around 10. Keep coffee around 11. Don't take user failures negatively, don't discourage users enjoying the game : - Failures in D4 were turned into comedy scenes, instead of traditional negative reinforcement. 12. Foreshadowing and input timing are important : -When users know what they have to do they empathize with the character. Give users a hint to what they should do 13. Match input with feedback : - When users are in the process of succeeding make them feel it 14. Trial and error with the UI is necessary for sensory replication : - Not even vets can predict what will happen until they try it - shadow the player 15. Employ balance balls 16. Aim for the impossible : - Even immortality… could be possible 17. Don't create a dream team : - Hard for a team of vets to challenge themselves 18. Look closely at your failures : - The ability to find something of value while you search for something else in the fields of observation chance favors only the prepared mind 19. Don't get hung up on devices : - The device does not make the game 20. Ideas before technology, don't match the game to the device : - Idea always comes first 21. It isn't for the fans, it's for the human race 22. ? 23. The unnecessary is necessary : -People remember the pointless things? 24. Characters need dual natures - Perfect people are boring - empathy breeds attachment. 25. Don't start from the story : - First create world, world makes story 26. Use up all your ideas : -Ideas only stay fresh for so long 27. Keep a stock of rejected ideas : -A vault of valuable data 28. How many balance balls you need : -Number of developers divided by /4 29. Decorate the studio with game stuff and art from the world that you’re making 30. Watch movies that inspired you and your team early on : - Don't enjoy them just as references but as works of art 31. Always play the newest games with your team 32. Review your own game as a team 33. Get a big whiteboard 34. Write on it together 35. Don’t be stingy with your pen colors 36. Jump on to new things - : -New games, new technology 37. Declare that you'll take responsibility, that way you get past deadlocks 38. Don't take responsibility for things you can't change 39. If nothing else works just get mad back at them : - Go all out, put your full force in! 40. Use your own two feet : -See as much of the world as you can, footwork>network. 41. Now it’s time to party! : -Have a drinking party for the team when you finish your project. 42. Don't be afraid of paying for things out of your own pocket : - People don’t forget it when someone treats them, your personal money is more meaningful than the companies. 43. Drink until the sun comes up 44. Play a trivia game on your balance balls 45. Don't let people’s opinions influence you : -You don't have to immediately accept them 46. Don’t show it until its finished : - Work in progress opinions aren't helpful and you’ll probably ignore them anyway 47. Don’t play until its finished : - Don't play the game every day when its under progression, lest you get too used to it. Retain the user’s viewpoint. 48. Don't ignore opinions on the finished product : - Even if it means a huge rewrite 49. Don't try to cover up for stuff with gestures : - Say what you mean, eople only understand words 50. Don’t ignore things you don't understand : - Get real research! Only losers Google it 51. Create buzz words in your team : - Team slang is like a password, and will create empathy as they try to give the word a connection. 52. If you get lost collect samples 52. People who've never played the game are treasures : -Don't give them data before they play it, get the raw reaction 53. Collect power from your fans 54. Don’t prostitute your smile : - Only smile when it really counts 55. ? (sorry, that SWERY is a quick one!) 56. Enjoy the bugs you find 57. Overcome the hugs : - If things get tough just hug it out 58. Let negative fans energize you : -Quick-acting camphor injections 59. Prepare yourself for battle : - Get good quality sleep and plan ahead to relax 60. Learn how to sleep on a balance ball 61. Just do what you want to do : -YOLO 62. Gladly do something you don't want to do in order to get to do what you want to 63. There’s absolutely no need for everyone to do the same thing : - Aim for your own style of art 64. Don't get hung up on hexidecimal : -For the engineers 65. Think about it on your own In addition, SWERY showed a PC version of the game running with mouse controls. While it isn’t confirmed for retail yet, we’ve got a good feeling about it. Category:Blog posts Category:News Category:GDC 2015